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  • Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing bushbabies (Mammalia: Galagidae) in a biodiversity hotspot of northern South Africa
Title: Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing bushbabies (Mammalia: Galagidae) in a biodiversity hotspot of northern South Africa
South Africa has six species of primates, three of which are bushbabies (family Galagidae). Very little information is available on their parasites due to the lack of longitudinal studies, although Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Amblyomma hebraeum and Haemaphysalis elliptica were previously reported from the brown greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) in South Africa. During 2014–2019, 83 O. crassicaudatus (70 live-trapped and 13 deceased animals) were checked for the presence of hard ticks, all from Limpopo Province, South Africa. Seventy-three of 83 (88 %) galagos were found to be tick-infested. Among ixodid genera, Haemaphysalis had the highest prevalence (46 % of the bushbabies), followed by Rhipicephalus (25 %) and Ixodes (18 %). In total, ten tick species were identified. Importantly, all infestations were monospecific. Ticks occurred on various body parts of bushbabies, thus no predilection site was noted. In conclusion, while previously only three ixodid species were known to infest bushbabies in South Africa, the present study showed that these animals can be parasitized by a much broader range of hard ticks.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1638833
PAR ID:
10495529
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Elsevier
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases
Volume:
15
Issue:
2
ISSN:
1877-959X
Page Range / eLocation ID:
102313
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
Primates, Otolemur, Ixodidae, Hard tick, Parasite, Ectoparasites
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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